City and CU welcome students during back-to-school 'walkabouts'

Student leaders will join the city of Boulder and University of Colorado Boulder officials next week to welcome students to the community and provide information on being good neighbors. "Walkabout" teams will be in the University Hill, Goss Grove and portions of Martin Acres neighborhoods.

The walkabouts are scheduled on Tuesday, Aug. 16, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 17, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will be led by City Manager Jane Brautigam, Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Deb Coffin, Athletic Director Mike Bohn, Interim Vice Chancellor for Administration Jeff Lipton, CU Student Government President Andrew Yoder, as well as other city and university officials and CU students.

"The university and its students are a vibrant part of our community," said Brautigam. "We believe walkabouts are a great opportunity to not only make the students feel welcome but also help them to understand the values of the community they have chosen to live in."

The walkabouts are an effort to welcome students living off campus back to school and provide information about safe parties and local ordinances, as well as to encourage safe behavior, sensible football conduct and responsible off-campus living. The walkabouts are co-hosted by the city of Boulder and CU's Off Campus Student Services, a CUSG-funded office.

A key component of the walkabouts is student participation. Student leaders from across the campus are paired with CU/city staff and administrators to deliver the Smart Party Guides and talk with their fellow students.

"This is a great opportunity to meet our students and to encourage them to be considerate of their neighbors during the upcoming year," said CUSG President Yoder. "We also want to inform them about CUSG initiatives such as the Smart Party program."

Party Registration is another jointly supported project between the city and CU that has been successful. During the past academic year, more than 200 parties were registered and only two hosts were ticketed. Party registration is open to all CU students in neighborhoods throughout the city of Boulder. Students can register parties in Off-Campus Student Services, UMC 313, Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon for a party on Friday or Saturday nights. Students must register in person and show their Buff OneCard.

Students who register will receive the Smart Party Guide, a flyer on host liability, a party checklist and information on CU's NightRide program, as well as non-alcoholic beverages, snacks and trash bags, and a deck of playing cards. For more information, please visit ocss.colorado.edu.